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Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Women Powerful

One woman can change anything. Many women can change everything.- Christine Karumba

It would seem that I have always been in touch with my girl power. I was eleven when I tore off, babysitting money in hand to buy the 45 rpm record (yes, r e c o r d ) of "I am woman". I had my anthem and I am pretty sure my family got sick of hearing me roar. I expected equality and expounded on the injustices ad nauseamevery chance I got. My grade 8 teacher commented in my report card that he knew I would succeed in any career I chose, even against men. Methinks I was a bit of an opinionated big mouth.

With today being International Women's Day, I reflect on the rights and equalities that women have fought so hard for, and the issues that I have faced and witnessed in my own life. And it occurred to me that regardless of any obstacles I encountered, I had been raised in a loving family in a safe, secure home with clean running water. I was free to go to school and make choices to create the life I wanted. I had the freedom to fall in love and marry who I chose. When I was pregnant I had access to excellent medical care despite earning a salary barely above minimum wage. I was paid benefits while I took a maternity leave and my job was waiting for me when I returned. My children received health care and were raised with all of the necessities of life and more ... and had opportunities to pursue their hearts' desires.

I reflect on my sisters who are not so fortunate - on the thousand girls and women who die every single day giving birth. I think about the women who are systematically raped and murdered as victims of war; who are denied education; who spend much of their energy and time each day lugging water that could infect them and their families with life threatening diseases. The more I think about the plight of my sisters around the globe I realize that even though we still have more ground to gain on this side of the pond, the real fight has to be for our sisters in developing, oppressed and conflict ridden countries. There are undeniable ties that bind us together; this sisterhood. When one of hurts, we all hurt. We need to channel the excruciating pain into empathy and action. It's been said that healing the woes of the women heals the community, and ultimately the world.

Let's not go quietly into the night. Let's use our collective voices to rage against the injustices, brutality and oppression of girls and women everywhere.

Empowering women and girls is essential in the global drive to eliminate poverty, achieve social justice and stabilize the world’s population.